Beauty Makes a Deal
by FilmGirlChristina
Summary: This is an A/U story in which Belle makes a deal with Rumpel. Something more precious than her life is on the line.
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1_

_Belle_ was filled with despair. All she ever wanted was a happy life full of adventure. Instead she was married off by her father to the richest suitor that came to call. A boorish oaf named Gaston. They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. It was hard to believe when you were being forced day in and day out to cater for an abusive drunk. A lady is meant to be seen not heard. She is to look pretty and perfect not a hair out of place. Not once did Gaston utter I love you or even a simple compliment. He wanted her because she was a pretty little thing. He was the most eligible bachelor in the entire realm why shouldn't she be happy to be with him. He was rich and he was handsome. Not that any of this actually mattered to Belle. She always wanted a man with brains not brawn. She wanted to be swept off her feet. She wanted to see the world. As it is she is never allowed to go outside the house. It was only a week after their marriage that Gaston decided he wanted a son. Not a baby mind you he specifically told her that he expected a son from her. So he forced her to bed him every night. Whenever she was too tired he would just take what he wanted for himself. It took a few months but pretty soon Belle was empting her stomach into the nearest basin. Gaston brought in a personal physician to see that she was indeed pregnant. Now that she was he never had anything to do with her. He left her alone all day. He went to pubs and whore houses. When he came home she would hide herself away in her room. He always came knocking but left soon after. To say that she feared for her safety would be an understatement. She persevered through her pregnancy knowing that when her son was born Gaston would be different. Gaston would become a new man. But it was all hope. Hope that was shattered when her daughter, Emilie was born. Tears of joy were replaced with tears of fear. Her husband was away on business and she was left to go through the birth alone. He would be back in one weeks' time. Belle had to find a way out of this he would surely kill her if he found out she had a girl. So she developed a plan. She knew her husband was the most feared business man in the realm. But there was one other that was feared even more than him. A man or really a Beast as so many referred to him, Rumpelstiltskin. She had heard across the realm that he stuck deals with people who needed something. But he always wanted something in return. As she looked into her daughters bright blue eyes Belle realized she would do anything to protect her from her husband. Belle couldn't even begin to think of Gaston as her father. Belle looked inside herself for her courage and had one of her maids call for Rumpelstiltskin. She would get her daughter to safety. Even if she had to die trying.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

Rumpelstiltskin was annoyed when he heard a knock at the door of the dark castle. He stormed to the door and with his dark magic he flung it open. He was surprised to find a maid on his doorstep. He squinted his black eyes at her.

"What can I do for you dearie. Do you need wealth? A magic potion to turn you beautiful? Or perhaps you need a poison to rid yourself of a bad employer. Well dearie you have come to the right place. But I do not make deals for nothing dearie. There is always a price."

The maid looked even more frightened at the idea of making a deal with the Dark Imp. In a voice barely above a whisper, shaky and filled with fear she began to speak "It is not for me my Lord. It is for my employer. Lady Belle. She requests your presence at her castle. She asks that you come straight away. That she will pay you anything you require from her."

An evil grin passed over Rumpelstiltskin's face. "Lady Belle eh'. Last I heard of her she was being hidden away by that oaf Count Gaston. I heard she was pregnant. Was she able to provide him with a son?" The maid seemed to pale at this. With that Rumpelstiltskin could sense the cause of the good ladies distress. "Alright then Dearie, let's not keep your lady waiting." With that he swept up his cloak and in a flurry of smoke they arrived at the door of Belle's Bedroom. The sound of a baby crying could be heard from the room. Along with that sounded like the cry of its mother. It was faint but with his ears he could hear everything. Slowly he opened the door. A woman with long auburn hair was holding her baby close. Her eyes were red. Rumpelstiltskin could see that she was desperate. It was something he could use to his advantage. "It seems Congratulations are in order" The woman jumped when she heard him speak. Protectively clutching her baby, she asked. "Who are you?"

"Do you not know?" He smirked. "You sent for me dearie."

"Rumpelstiltskin" she whispered with disbelief.

"The one and only dearie, how may I assist you?"

"I want to make a deal with you. For my daughter."

"Contrary to belief dearie I do not take children for a profit. There is something to evil about that." Belle's eyes widened in shock at this.

"NO! I mean I want you to save her not to pay with her. I was supposed to have a son. I was sure I would have a son. But alas here she is. A perfect girl. My little Emilie. You have to save her. If my husband finds her she will suffer far worse than anything she would if you took her away. He would treat her as he treats me. He may even kill her. I am sorry to say my husband is just that unpredictable."

Rumpelstiltskin eyed the new mother. "And what would I get in return for this deal?" he asked her.

"I will give you anything Rumpelstiltskin. Anything just make sure that my daughter has a good and happy life with a father and a mother to love her." Her voice cracked at the mention of a mother that was not her but she would have to endure it. For the sake of her little girl.

"What makes you think you have anything that I want dearie?"

"I will give you gold, jewels, anything. I will give you my life if that is what you require. I just want her safe." His eyes darkened a bit at her desperateness. Her willingness to give her life was something Rumpelstiltskin was not expecting. But it was something he would play on. It was worth making a deal.

"Well then dearie. I have a deal for you. I require someone to look after my rather large estate. It seems like you fit the profile."

"You mean go with you?"

"Did I stutter dearie? Yes you would go with me. You would cook and clean and do anything I require of you. In return I will make sure that your daughter has the best life possible. With parents that will love her as her own. She will never know of you or the life she would have had. She will be happy."

Belle thought it over. She knew that any life was better than the life with Gaston. Tears rolled down her cheeks. She kissed her daughter on the head. Looking up at him with determination she said, "I will go with you."

"It is forever dearie."

"My daughter, she will be safe? Gaston will not go after her… Or me?"

"I will make sure of it dearie."

"Then I will go with you." As the words exited her mouth a sense of relief flooded through her. At least until she heard the doors to the castle being opened. Soon her husband's loud voice filled the halls. "I heard of Belle going into labor. Tell me where is my wife and my **_son_**?"There was a pause "WHAT!" he yelled. "Where is she? Where is that whore? Belle how dare you not give me a son! I will make you pay for this!" Belle's eyes widened with fear. She clutched tighter to her daughter.

"Please you must help us. I will do as you as I promise. I will go with you forever. Please He will kill me if he finds me!" Something about her made his heart ache for her. A feeling he did not like. But deep inside he wanted to protect her from the monster downstairs. They call him a beast. But this Gaston was something different. Something truly evil, maybe even more evil than him.

"Give me the child." He asked. Belle's tears were falling freely. She kissed her daughter for the last time. Whispering her love to her she handed her over to Rumpelstiltskin. Wrapping the baby in his cloak he disappeared in a puff of smoke. Belle broke down. Her body shook with the force of her tears. She could hear Gaston stomping up the stairs making his way to her room. The sound of things breaking followed him. He reached for the door handle to her room, only to find it locked. "Open the door Belle!" he waited only a second before banging on the door. "Open this damn door NOW Belle I will not ask again!" Belle reluctantly moved from her bed to the door. As she was reaching for the lock a hand clutched her wrist. She followed the hand to its owner, Rumpelstiltskin. She pulled back in shock. He mistook it for fear. "Do you fear me dearie?"

Belle pondered this for a second before saying, "Not nearly as much as I fear him."

He backed her away from the door. "Then lets us be off. You have a castle to care for."

The door to her rooms burst open. Gaston had kicked it in. In fear Belle gripped Rumpelstiltskin's arm. Gaston took in the scene his anger only fueled by the sight before him. "What is this Belle? Where is my daughter that you dared to grace me with? And WHY is this... this... BEAST in my house? How dare you!" Belle backed away in fear. So sure that he was there to kill her.

"Your daughter is no longer your concern, and as for Lady Belle here she has agreed to come with me."

"I will not allow it Belle! Get your ass over here NOW!" Gaston started to reach for her as she tried to hide herself from him. All of a sudden Gaston stopped, frozen to the spot.

"Now, now dearie. If you were to hurt dear Belle that would be in violation of my deal! And I do not take kindly to people damaging my property! So you will stay right there as Lady Belle and I take our leave." With that Rumpelstiltskin and Belle were gone in a puff of smoke. Gaston fell to the floor a scream of pure hatred erupted from him.

"You can run Belle. But I was promised you. And I will have you!"


	3. Chapter 3

**_Chapter 3_**

**_Month 1_**

That first month Belle spent most of her time cleaning Rumpelstiltskin's estate. It was a very large castle with many rooms. Most of which Belle was allowed to enter. The night of her arrival Belle was thrust into the darkest dungeon of the castle. Left to cry out all of the tears her body possessed over the loss of her daughter. She felt alone and lost. Her daughter gone, her life forever changed. Through the grief however she could not help but feel a sense of hope. Hope that everything would get better. Maybe one day, one day she could change Rumpelstiltskin's mind and get her daughter back. Most would see the cold dank dungeon as cruel. Not belle, she saw it as a refuge. Inside this dungeon, inside this castle she was free. There was no more Gaston, no more of his beatings, his rape, she was finally free. Free to be her own person. Although the grief of her daughter would fade into a dull throbbing, she couldn't help but smile. Free, was all she thought before drifting off to sleep.

She awoke only hours later buy a loud clang coming from her door. It opened to reveal Rumpelstiltskin.

"Are you ready to start the day dearie? My castle needs cleaning, and NOW I have the perfect maid to do it." There was an odd glint to his eye. She saw that working for Rumpelstiltskin was going to be nothing sort of an adventure, a long grueling, sweaty, dusty adventure.

"What will you have me do first?"

"Well surely a lady such as you knows that the best way to start off the day is with a good breakfast. Now I know you have been nothing short of spoiled, but here you shall cook every meal for me. Breakfast and dinner shall be full and hearty. Lunch shall be small."

As he talked he led her out of the dungeon, up a flight of stairs to a set of wooden doors. Belle was not prepared for the site before her. The kitchen was larger than any she had ever seen. Although you would never know that it was a kitchen with all of the dirt and grime that was attached to every surface, every nook and cranny was covered in dust. It looked as if the kitchen had not been used in hundreds of years.

"It needs a small bit of cleaning, but all in all it is a kitchen. I expect breakfast in two hours dearie. No more. Since a Lady like you has no cooking experience I do not expect much, but do try not to burn anything." Rumpelstiltskin then left with a smirk on his face.

Belle was offended. She might be a Lady but that did not mean she did not know how to cook a good meal. During her pregnancy she was not able to eat any of the food made by the staff. It would always make her sick. They would never cook what she wanted only what Gaston told them to. It turned out they were not allowed to cook her anything else. They said they cannot cook for her, but that didn't stop them from buying her cookbooks and showing her how to cook. Soon she was a master. She knew how to cook every meal. Dessert was her specialty. She could make delicious cakes and sensual pies. The smell alone could fill a person up. The staff loved to play taste tester to her many pie experiments. Belle was also great at breakfast. Her cinnamon vanilla pancakes were not to be rivaled. She made the best eggs in the house with ham and onions. Her potatoes were the cook's favorite. Belle decided that this was indeed what she would cook for Rumpelstiltskin. Looking around she found all of the ingredients she would need. But she could not do a thing until the place was spotless. She was not going to get sick because of her new Master. That thought made Belle stop short. She had thought she was free, but in truth she just traded one master for another. Tears fell slowly down her face. She began to clean it took her only an hour and a half. She was thankful that breakfast was quick to cook. Soon the kitchen filled with the delicious smell of pancakes, eggs, potatoes, and a bit of sausage she found. Proud of herself she placed the meal on a tray with a tea set she found and made her way to the dining room she had passed on her way to the kitchen.


End file.
